Beijing may soon issue "cyberspace IDs" to its citizens, after submitting a proposal for the system on Friday.
Cheap Chinese electric cars are a threat to CYBER SECURITY | MGUY Australia
Although the policy is only open for comments and not certain to be adopted, the ID would serve to "protect citizens' personal information, regulate the public service of cyberspace ID authentication, and accelerate the implementation of the trusted online identity strategy," according to a statement from the Council of State – China's equivalent of a Cabinet of Ministers.
The ID will have two forms: one as a series of letters and numbers, and the other as an online reference. Both will correspond to the citizen's real identity, but without details in clear text – presumably encryption will be applied. A government national service platform will be responsible for authentication and issuance of the cyberspace ID.
The draft comes from the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). It clarifies that the ID number will be voluntary – for now – and eliminate the need for citizens to provide their real personal information to Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Those under fourteen would need parental consent to apply.
